This invention relates to designing and implementing an efficient wireless network and, more particularly, to optimizing the configuration of an existing network or network additions.
The explosive growth in wireless traffic has lead to a need for additional carriers and an increased density of cell sites. A key problem in wireless network growth planning is to optimally configure the network in order to maximize subscriber capacity. In order to do this, we must be able to estimate the effects of adding new equipment, such as Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs), into the network. The introduction of a BTS can alter the demand, in terms of calls, seen in the neighbor BTSs and can introduce mobility events with its neighbor BTSs. Information of the existing wireless network and its served area can assist in the estimation of the operation of the evolving network. This paper will describe how we use this information to represent demand and mobility in the wireless network at a high-resolution of 100 meter by 100 meter bins. This paper will also describe how this representation of demand and mobility is used to estimate the operation of the evolving network.
The last few years have seen a tremendous demand for wireless services. Service providers have to accommodate this rapid growth on their existing networks, as well as make plans for new networks. These networks will have to be reconfigured dynamically to allow optimal performance. There is a need for a cell planning tool incorporating optimization techniques to assist RF engineers in the initial cell planning, as well as in the future growth planning stages.
Cell planning is a complex problem, as an optimal placement of all the base stations depends on traffic distribution, base station positions, power levels, type of antennas, heights of antennas, etc. Other constraints are real estate, zoning requirements, RF requirements, etc. The objective is to find an optimal cell placement together with all the parameters to achieve required grade of service and, at the same time, to minimize the cost of building (expanding) such a network.
Therefore, a need exists for a system for optimizing the configuring of an existing wireless network, or additions to an existing wireless network, to accommodate changes in demand and mobility of subscribers. Preferably, such a system would interface with other demand modeling and frequency planning tools. Preferably, the system would assist in the location and orientation of cell sites, number of Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs), allocation of carriers serving each cell and sector, as well as power adjustment and sector splitting specifications, useful in implementing reconfiguration or additions to an existing system.
The present invention is a system for optimizing an existing wireless network and additions to an existing network. The system determines a value representing estimation of traffic in discrete bins within a geographic area. The traffic estimation includes a distribution of handover and new cell traffic based at least in part on the presence of a road in any bin or the proximity of a bin to a handover boundary. The cell coverage and carrier allocations of existing cells are adjusted in view of the traffic estimation.
In one aspect of the invention, an overlay network is configured following adjustment of cell coverage and carrier allocations.
In another aspect of the invention, additional cell sites are provided following adjustment of cell coverage and carrier allocations of existing cells.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the configuration of additional cell sites is optimized.